Songs for Christmas
Year: 2006
Format: Spotify
Grade: C+
In 2006, Sufjan Stevens culled five extended plays from the previous six years for a new release. What began as a holiday tradition for family and friends turned into the Songs for Christmas box set.
Like with so many other Stevens projects, brevity is not the strong suit of Songs for Christmas. At more than two hours total, its a bit redundant.
As each shows a different stage in Stevens' development, the first LP, Noel, includes the first and best of three versions of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Electric guitar flourishes juxtapose wonderfully against the twang of the Detroit-born singer's banjo work, a dynamic that resurfaces on the LP's final track, "Amazing Grace."
Mixed with the familiar songs are Stevens holiday originals, ranging from forgettable to inspired. Stevens penned both "Put the Lights on the Tree" and "Sister Winter," which sound at home with more familiar holiday originals. The best stretch comes in the middle of the third LP, when "We Three Kings" and "O Holy Night" are followed by "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever," another strong Stevens original.
As a novelty, it overstuffs the stocking, but Stevens' touch on well-worn material is not without putting his signature stamp on it.
Tomorrow's entry: Yes, Close to the Edge
Comments